Fan baffle



Oct. 11, 1966 c. NEWMAN FAN BAFFLE Filed Dec. 24, 1963 FIGJ UDUDDEUUDUU DEBUG DODGE DEBUG SUEDE 26 INVENTOR.

)Vem'y 61 #907270 BY KM ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,278,112 FAN BAFFLE 6 Henry C. Newman, Scotch Plains, N.J., assignor to Engelhard Hanovia, Inc., Newark, N.J., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Dec. 24, 1963, Ser. No. 333,018 1 Claim. (Cl. 230-42) The present invention relates to line flow fans for moving air or other fluids. More particularly, it relates to a baflie for directing the flow of air or other fluids from such a fan and to simple and novel mechanism for shifting the position of the baffle so as to change the direction of the flow of fluid from the fan.

In a conventional type of line flow fan an electric motor drives a cylindrical rotor which is made up of long dished blades supported parallel with the axis of the rotor on hubs on the axle of the rotor. The natural flow of fluid propelled by the fan blades is tangent to the periphery of the rotor all around the circumference of the rotor. A baffle or bafiles are therefore placed adjacent the periphery of the rotor to concentrate and direct a stream of fluid from the fan in a particular direction.

It will be appreciated that in a fan of the type described the rotation of the rotor is always in one direction and the direction of a stream of fluid from the fan is changed by moving the bafile. It might be possible to reverse the flow of fluid through the fan by reversing the direction of the rotor, but this would require intricate gear shifting mechanism which would be more complex and expensive than alternative or movable baffles.

In one previous type of line flow fan the change of direction of the fluid stream is accomplished by providing two baffles which are alternatively moved into operative position at opposite side of the rotor.

In accordance with the present invention the change of direction of the stream of fluid from the rotor is accomplished by a single baflle which is movable to selective predetermined positions about the periphery of the rotor.

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a novel, simple and effective baflle mechanism for directing a stream of fluid from a line flow fan and for changing the direction of the stream.

Further objects and advantages of the baflle mechanism of this invention will be apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURES 1, 2, and 3 are schematic diagrams showing the direction of movement of fluid from the rotor of a line flow fan and illustrating the operation of a baflle in concentrating and directing a stream of fluid from the rotor.

FIGURE 4 is a side View partly broken away of a line flow fan having a movable baflle in accordance with the present invention. I

FIGURE 5 is a section along the lines 5-5 of FIG- URE 4; and

FIGURE 6 is a section along the lines 6-6 of FIG- URE 4.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to FIGURE 4 a line flow fan for which the movable bafile of the present invention is adapted for use comprises a cylindrical rotor 10 made up of dished blades 11 supported longitudinally on hubs 12. An axle 13 on which the hubs 12 are fixed is journaled in bearing plates 14 which are attached at right angles to the bottom of a housing 16 for the fan. The axle 13 extends through the bearing plate and is drivingly connected to an electric motor 17 through an appropriate gear train 18.

Looking at FIGURE 1, as the rotor 10 moves in the counterclockwise direction indicated by arrows 20, the dished blades 11 push air (or other fluid) tangentially away from the periphery of the rotor at all points around the circumference of the rotor as indicated by the arrows 21.

As shown in FIGURES 2 and 3 by arrows 22 fluid is concentrated and directed away from the rotor 10 in a stream by placing a blade or baffle 23 adjacent the periphery of the rotor 10. Referring to FIGURE 2 a baffle 23 at the top of the rotor 10 causes a stream. of fluid to flow away from the rotor to the right, thereby moving fluid through the fan from the left. When the baflle 23 is at the bottom of the rotor 10 as in FIGURE 3 the fluid streams to the left.

Referring now to FIGURES 4, 5, and 6 the baflle mechanism of the present invention comprises a battle element 25 attached between arms 26 and 27 which are rotatably mounted on the axle 13 of the rotor 10 and extend beyond the periphery of the rotor. The baflle element 25 is thus parallel to the axis of the rotor 10 and is close to the periphery of the rotor. A counterbalance and brace 28 is attached between the ends of the arms 26 and 27 at the opposite side of the rotor 10 from the baffle element 25.

The bafile element 25 comprises a V-shaped baffle 30 having a blade-1ike vane 31 extending from it. The baffle 30 is V-shaped to give it rigidity but it could be a single blade such as the bafile 23 in FIGURES 2 and 3 or any other suitable shape to divert the normal flow of fluid from a portion of the periphery of the rotor 10. The vane 31 is attached on the baflle 30 to extend into the stream of fluid coming from the bafile. The stream of fluid pushing on the vane 31 thus causes the baflle 30 to move around the periphery of the rotor 10 when the arms 26 and 27 are free to rotate.

The arms 26 and 27 and associated baflle element 25 are freed to rotate or are held in a predetermined position relative to the periphery of the rotor 10 by a spring lever 33.

The spring lever 33 which is attached to the back of the housing 16 extends across the housing adjacent the arm 26 and is biased toward the arm 26. A lug 34 is provided on the lever 33 to engage notches 35 or 36 in the arm 26 and thereby lock the arm 26 and bafile element 25 in selective predetermined positions.

The spring lever 33 extends through the front of the housing 16 and has a handle portion 37 at its outward end by which it is moved to free the arm 26 and associated baflie element 25 to be rotated to a new position by the force of the stream of fluid against the vane 31. When the spring lever 33 is released, it returns to a position close to the arm 26 in which the lug 34 will engage one of the notch-es 35 or 36 when rotation of the arm 26 brings one of the notches into alignment with the lug 34. The lever 33 with its lug 34 then holds the arm 26 and associated bafile element 25 against the further rotation until the lever is moved manually to withdraw the lug 34 from the notch in which it is engaged.

As shown in FIGURES 5 and 6 the baflle element 25 is at the top of the rotor 10 when the lug 34 engages the notch 35. In this position, the baffle 30 directs the stream of fluid to the right in FIGURE 6. When the arm 26 and baffle element 25 are rotated to the position in which the lug 34 engages the notch 36, the battle element 25 will be at the bottom of the rotor 10 and the fluid stream will be direct to the left in FIGURE 6. While only two positions of the arm 26 and bafile element 25 are shown in the drawings it will be appreciated that the structure could be easily adapted to provide additional selective predetermined positions in which the baflle element 25 could be located and held by the lug 34. For example, the arm 26 might be made in the shape of a disk with additional notches, similar to the notches 35 and 36, arranged in a circle about the axle 13 to be selectively engaged by the lug 34.

' As shown in FIGURES 4, 5, and 6 the housing 16 has openings at opposite sides covered by grilles 39 to permit air or other fluid to be moved through the housing 16 by the rotor 10 in a direction determined by the position of the baffle element 25.

It will be appreciated the above description is of a preferred embodiment of the movable baffle mechanism of the present invention and that certain modifications may be made in the structure and arrangement of the elements without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined by the following claim.

What is claimed is:

In a line flow fan having a cylindrical rotor, baflle mechanism comprising a pair of arms, one arm being rotatably mounted at one end of said rotor to rotate about the axis of the rotor and the other arm being similarly mounted at the other end of the rotor, an end of each arm extending beyond the cylindrical periphery of the rotor, a bafiie attached between said ends of the arms parallel to the axis of the rotor and adjacent the periphery of the rotor, means for rotating the arms about the axis of the rotor, and means for locking the arms in selective predetermined positions about their axis thereby locating the bafile in selective predetermined positions about the periphery of the rotor, said means for rotating the arms about the axis of the rotor comprising a vane attached to the baflle and extending in a direction to project into a stream of fluid caused by rotation of the rotor.

References Cited by the Examiner MARK NEWMAN, Primary Examiner.

DONLEY J. STOCKING, SAMUEL LEVINE,

Examiners. W. L. FREEH, Assistant Examiner. 

